October 21, 2023

La CROSSE, Wis. – Dakota State (S.D.) could not overcome the North Star Athletic Association women's volleyball leader and nationally ranked No. 5 Viterbo's (Wis.) .352 hitting percentage Saturday afternoon at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium, falling in three straight sets.  The V-Hawks won by the set scores of 25-13, 25-14, and 25-13.

Dakota State is 13-13 overall record and 4-5 NSAA conference record.  Viterbo raised their overall record to 25-3 and remained undefeated in the North Star conference play with a 9-0 record.

The Trojans stay on the road next weekend in North Dakota.  DSU plays their final road contests, visiting Valley City State (N.D.) Friday and Dickinson State (N.D.) next Saturday.

(5) Viterbo (Wis.) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL (25-13, 25-14, 25-13)

Dakota State kicked off the opening set with a 3-1 lead after a block from Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri and Hannah Evans.  Knotted at 4-4, the V-Hawks went on a 14-4 scoring surge to grab an 18-8 lead after Kenzie Winker's kill.

VU hit .294 (13 kills with three errors in 34 attempts) in the first set to earn a 25-13 victory, grabbing a 1-0 lead.  DSU was limited to .081 hitting efficiency (10 kills with seven errors in 37 swings).

The Trojans earned the first lead of the second set at 1-0 after a kill from Evans.  Viterbo stormed with an 11-1 outburst to lead 11-2.

Dakota State could get no closer than five points at 15-10, capped by Kate VanRooyan who was credited with a kill.  The V-Hawks closed the second set with a 10-4 run for a 25-14 victory, extending their match lead to 2-0.

Viterbo outhit Dakota State 17-10 in the second set.  The V-Hawks hit .444, committing just one attack error in 36 attempts.  The Trojans registered a hitting percentage of .161 with five attack errors in 31 attempts.

The V-Hawks used a fast start in the third set, scoring the first four points for a 4-0 lead after a service ace from Maddie Connor.  VU never trailed for the rest of the third set, securing a 3-0 victory after a 25-13 win.

Viterbo smashed 15 kills and hit .314 in the third set (four attack errors in 35 attempts) and held Dakota State to negative .061 hitting percentage (six kills with eight attack errors in 33 attempts).

Brooklyn Grage led the Trojans with eight kills.  Macey Wathen added six kills and hit .308 in the match.  Evans had four kills and two blocks.  Maddi Langerock posted a double-double of 21 set assists and 11 digs.

VanRooyan collected 10 digs for DSU.  Vongkasemsiri tallied three blocks. 

Martina McGrath smashed 11 kills and tallied three blocks for Viterbo.  She hit .556 in the match.  Winker added 10 kills and five digs.  Grace Rohde had seven kills and seven digs.  Marissa Kleman collected seven kills, seven digs, and three blocks.

Connor had 17 set assists and nine digs for the V-Hawks.  Cailie Kowal added 11 assists and four digs.  Kenidi McCabe had nine digs and six set assists. 

Viterbo outhit Dakota State 45-26 in the match.  The V-Hawks committed eight attack errors in 105 attempts and held the Trojans to .059 hitting percentage (20 attack errors in 101 swings).  VU recorded eight blocks to DSU three blocks. 

Dakota State collected 42 digs to Viterbo 40 digs.